Refrigerator control



JuEy-EQ, 193%. R. GPHILLIPS REFRIGERATOR CONTROL 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 8, 1937 Attorneys 393$ R G. PHILLKPS 291249375 REFRIGERATOR CONTROL Filed March 8, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor E. P/$/7// a Aiiomeys M 19, 1933, R G p i 2,124,375

REFRIGERATOR CONTROL Filed March 8, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fuentes .iui re ices lrhctcc ststes ehrchr :t'evehtioc relctes genera ly to mechanical refrigerators, and y to oceans for com Y trotting t e maintenance or se" temperature establishing cert com o trolling the period oi defrosting thereof, so important object of invention is to provide e simple efiecttve arrangement of cherccter which can he in clleci in all conventional refrigerators t the ch oter indicated.

r ico her' importent co rect of my invention is to provide an arrangement of the cLwrecter tzeclicetec shove c, controller-l clevioe makes the lncorporehoo cohtrolccechoeisrc Wlth the chccits of the re leerotor.

@ther objects of my invehtton he zippers from c reaches oi the fo lowing oe= scripttce token to comecticn with the mewihgs, wherein for purposes l hove shown a preterreri emho eht of ihveution.

in the @rewtoss:

Figure l is e. sections-i ellevet'ionoi vlew taken through on embodiment of the invention.

2 is a horhzcctet sectional view token through Figure 1 approximately on the line 2-2 our-1 looking dowcwerdiy ire the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 o treusverse vertical sectionel View token tmouch Figure i approximately oh the hue fi -Send icomhc toward the right in the direction or the arrows.

figure c is e, fcce view of the stationary coutcct dish.

fiheure 5 ts as fees View of the rotary contact cllsh.

Hour-e e is e schematic diagram showing the mechanical and electrical association of the operotive pertsof the embodiment.

In the operation of mechanical refrigerators, whether domestic or commercial, it is the necessery practice to out oh the current supply to the mechanism to the refrigerator during the defrosting period in order to permit the refrigeratiris coils to attain c. defrosting temperature. While such defrosting is in progress, it frequent- 1y happens that the temperature within the refrigereting compartment rlses unduly, and the perishable goods therein are then subjected to an injurious temperature; and heretofore no means has been provided to enable automatic and etiective prevention of such or rieteterious r se in the temperature of the refrigerating compartinent during the defrosting periorl. the present invention comprises an arrangement whereby manual cutting ofi of the current supply to the shove e certain establishes} defros'" (Cl. cre e) refrigerating mechanism is rendered unnecessery, and the refrigerating mechanism is stopped by cloclr. controlled means during the selected defrosting period, and at the end of the rlefrost= the period connected again with the current sup ply, entirely autoemticehy by ciccfi; controlled meerrswhich is also effective to estehh'sh a oircult with a secondary thermostatic swatch in the refrigerating compost-reentso as upon a rise Lug tempereigerstihg u casing to of suitable materiel which has jurictioh I boxes 5 and i at opposie sides of i and separated from the upper of the toterior of the casing by e horizori partition Between the juhcticu horses 6 J is a switch hex in which is arranged a manual switch whose omce is to enable the regular refrigerating mechanism circuit to broken or rosintsined as desired and for purposes to he pointed out herein.

In the upper chamber M of the casing 5 is arranged the electrically operated clock 62 which has a. pinion H3 in mesh wlth a gear M which includes a, pinion 55 which is in turn in mesh with 2, gear 66 which includes e pinion 571' in mesh with a, gear t8, the said gear it including a shaft t9 whichpesses through the front of the casing and has fastened thereto the indicator and setting hand 26 which is used to set the device when installing it and operatescin conjunction with o semi-circular scale 2t which is formed with twelve equal divisions each of which is divided into quarters, the main divisions repower pert representing hours and the quarter divisions each a, quarter of an hour. The shaft t8 Es rotated through one complete revolution every twenty-four hours as is the disk 38.

Brackets 22 and projecting horizontally from the back of the casing 5 support a, stationery contact disk 25, with the aid of screws 25 and 28 which pass through openings in. the disk 2%. The disl: 25 is preferably of dielectric material or is constructed dielectric ports tat'ably support the shaft l9 already mentioned.

Extending concentrically on the face of the disk 26 is a three-quarter circular contact strip 36 which is embedded in the face of the disk as indicated in Figures 2 and 3 and is located mainly at the upper part of the disk. In a position radially inwardly of the contact strip 3i and on a line between the ears 2? and 23 is set in an accommodating opening in the disk a tubular brush holder v 32 which is provided at one end with a binding post and has telescoped in its opposite end the brush 36 which is outwardly spring-pressed by a spring 35. A binding post 3%, provided with a tightening screw 3?, traverses the disk 2% at the top thereof and forms connection with an intermediate part of the contact strip 38.

Outwardly spaced from the disk 26 is the rotatable disk which is fastened to the shaft i9 and this disk is generally designated 38 and which preferably consists of a circular dielectric body having a short extension 39 thereon which carries the set screw dd by operation of which the disk 38 is locked to rotate with the shaft is once-in every twenty-four hours.

Concentric with respect to the center of the disk 38 and on its back is the continuous circular contact strip M which has a radial-extension 32 proceeding therefrom and including a tubular brush holder 63 in which is telescoped the brush M which is spring-pressed toward the disk 26 and into contact with the discontinuous strip 38 by the spring 35. When the shaft 89 is rotated manually by means of the hand EU to the proper position relative to the stationary disk 26 the brush 66 on the disk 38 will engage the arcuate discontinuous-contact strip 3!! with the brush 36 on the disk 26 engaging the continuous contact ring 6!.

By reference to Figure 6 it will be apparent that the current supply wires t and it lead respectively to the input terminals of the refrigerator mechanism motor 371, the ordinary box thermostat Qdand the manual switch it being interposed in the supply line it.

Between the switch id and the motor fill the supply line 66 has a leader 618 which is connected with the brush 3d and also with one contact of the thermostatic switch which is generally designated 5D. The thermostatic switch 56 will usually have a setting of 44 degrees F. and it has its opposite sides connected tothe'binding posts 33 and 3%, respectively, and can operate only while the brush M is out of contact with the strip 3|. Another leader 56 which leaves the supply line 66. between the box thermostat 58, which usually has a temperature setting of 36 degrees F., and the switch it is connected to the remaining terminal of the thermostatic switch 50 and has a jumper 52 which is connected with the binding post 36. The box thermostat 48 can only operate while the I brush M is in contact with the discontinuous contact strip 3!. a

The rectangular box thermostat G8 is usually set for between 34 and 38 F. so that it will start and stop the motor 47 upon variation of the temperature within the refrigerating compartment beyond such established range. But the box thermostat is inefiective during the defrostin riod mat ers when the current to the motor is cut off as in the usual practice, so that the temperature within the refrigerating compartment can rise above the said 34 to 38 range, as already pointed out herein. In accordance with the present invention the thermostat 59 is exposed to the temperature within the refrigerating compartment, and being set at a higher range of say from 39 to 40 F., is operative at the defrosting temperature; so that in View of the wiring connections described above, the auxiliary thermostat 56 will, upon the generation of a defrosting temperature above the arbitray 39 or 40 F., close the contacts leading to the wiresdil and 55 and thereby shunt the manual switch it as well as the time switch and start up the motor ll so as to bring down the defrosting temperature in the refrigerating compartment to 39 or 40, depending upon the setting of the thermostat 56, without, however, necessarily lowering the temperature to the refrigerating temperature arbitrarily set above at 34 or 38 F. so that automatic provision is made for preventing the temperature within the refrigerating compartment from rising to a deleterious level during the defrosting operation. The brush 35 is always in contact with the continuous contact strip (if, and during such time as the brush 414i is engaged with the discontinuous contact strip 39 the circuit is closed and the thermostatic switches 68 and 50 can operate for control purposes, there being by this means a circuit established through them.

However, this circuit is broken when the brush id leaves the contact strip 35.

It is to be recalled that the brush 36' of the disk 26 has continuous contact with the continuous contact circle d8 of the disk 38, and that the brush Q6 of the disk 38 has contact with the arcuate discontinuous contact strip iii of the disk 26 only during such time as the operation of the clock it maintains the disk 38 in the corresponding position relative to the disk 24%, that is, during an ordinary refrigerating period. The brush 3% is out of engagement with the arcuate contact strip 3! during the defrosting period, due tothe disk 38 and the indicator or clock hand 26 having turnedrelative to the disk 26 and to the indicia 2i on the front of the casing 5, at a regular rate, readable by means of the said indicia.

For convenience the auxiliary thermostat 563 may comprise a bellows arrangement 53 operating on one arm of a pivoted bell crank 54 which has an operative connection 55 with a mercury switch 56, such an arrangement being conventionally available.

The power conduits are led into the junction box 1 through a suitable fitting 5i, and the conduits to the refrigerator mechanism motor are led out of the conduit box 6 through the fitting 58, conventional arrangements of this character being selectively available.

Although I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of my invention it is to be definitely understood that I do not desire to limit the application of the invention thereto, and any change or changes may be made in the materials and in the structure and arrangement of the parts, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the subjoined claims. K

What is claimediss- 1. In a refrigerator, the combination of a refrigerating compartment, refrigerating means for said compartment, means for energizing said refrigerating means to maintain said refrigerating means at a temperature below freezing, time control means comprising a periodically operated switch for de-energizing said refrigerating means for a predetermined period to defrost said refrigerating means, and means comprising a thermostatic switch responsive to an increase in temperature within said compartment above that required for defrosting said refrigerating means to energize said refrigerating means independently of said periodically operated switch.

2. In a refrigerator, the combination of a refrigerating compartment, refrigerating means for saidcompartment, an electric motor for driving said refrigerating means including a supply circuit therefor, a time control switch included in said circuit for de-energizing said motor for a predetermined period to defrost said refrigerating means, and a thermostatic switch responsive to the temperature within said refrigerating compartment and being operable upon a rise in temperature above that required for de-frosting said refrigerating means to close the circuit of said motor independently of said time control switch.

3. In a refrigerator, the combination of a refrigerating compartment, refrigerating means for said compartment, means for energizing said refrigerating means including an electric supply circuit, a thermostatic switch located in said compartment and arranged to control said supply circuit to maintain a predetermined refrigerating temperature within said compartment, a time control switch connected in said circuit in series with said thermostatic switch and being operable to open said supply circuit for a predetermined period to defrost said refrigerating means, and an auxiliary thermostatic switch responsive to thetemperature in said compartment and being ope erable upon a rise of temperature above that re quired for defrosting to close a path in said circuit in shunt to said time control switch.

4. The combination with a refrigerator having a refrigerating compartment, refrigerating mechanism, a source of current, a box thermostat interposed between said source and said mechanism for controlling the refrigerating temperature in said compartment during a refrigerating period, and a cut-ofi switch adapted to be closed during the refrigerating period and open during the defrosting period; of a time controlled switch and an auxiliary thermostatic switch, the latter being set to close only on a rise of temperature in said compartment above that required for defrosting, said time controlled switch and said auriliary thermostatic switch being cooperatively electrically connected together and shunted across said cut-ofi switch.

5. A combination according to claim 2 wherein said time controlled switch comprises a clock, a shaft operatively connected to said clock, a rotary contact disk fixed on said shaft and having a continuous contact ring on one side, a stationary contact disk having a discontinuous arcuate contact on one side thereof, a first brush on said stationary disk continuously engaging said continuous contact ring, a second brush on said rotary disk and engaging said discontinuous arcuate contact.

6. A combination according to claim 2 wherein said time controlled switch comprises a clock, a shaft operatively connected to said clock, a rotary contact disk fixed on said shaft and having a continuous contact ringon one side, a stationary contact disk having a discontinuous arcuate contact on one side thereof, a first brush on said stafytionary disk continuously engaging said continuous contact ring, a second brush on said rotary disk and engaging said discontinuous arcuate contact, said disks and said continuous and discontinuous contacts belng axially aligned and concentrically arranged with respect to the axis of said shaft.

RAY G. PHILLIPS. 

